Northern Dressage Group

We hold regular competitions open to all and training for members only – flat and jumping – with accredited trainers, as well as special events like training camp weekends, training clinics with BD judges and other well known people, social activities and the opportunity of representing the club at area riding club competitions and qualifiers for National finals in various disciplines. We welcome non-members to come and see what we do or talk to any of our Committee about the Club.

The Club is 'affiliated' to the British Riding Clubs – this is part of the BHS and so discounts and Indemnity insurance cover is part of your membership fee. BRC will send you a quarterly 'Rider' magazine with news, results and articles too.

Only if you join by 1st November each year. Our membership year currently runs in line with our AGM and Accounts /Audit reports – from 1st November to 31st October. See membership form for fees - which includes a fee to the BRC office and a contribution to helpers at Shows. If you rejoin promptly each year the fee is £10 lower than brand new membership. There is also a social membership of £15 for non-riders who want to benefit from being a BRC/BHS member. We do not have Junior (under 18) members.

If you were to join after 1st August then your membership would run longer than three months i.e. into the next full twelve months also. Please note – your membership lapses in November so if you don’t re-join you lose any championship qualification and eligibility to represent the club. You will get a renewal form with one of our newsletters and new members forms are downloadable from this web site.

Your Committee of 12 are paid up members of the Club and volunteer their help. They meet regularly to agree the club activities etc on behalf of its members. As well as the main 'officers' of the Club (Chair, Secretary and Treasurer) each person is allocated specific jobs to share the work. The Committee also take turns to organise and run shows, training and other activities. The fixture list, entry forms and web site (with photos!) gives contact details.

Yes ! We are audited every year and those accounts are presented at the AGM in November. All members receive an invitation to the AGM.

The NDG's standard training sessions and camp are restircted to members only. The NDG does on occasion run "special" training sessions with traininers such as Stephen Clarke and Pammy Hutton; these training sessions are usually open to non members to attend and this will be confirmed via the training schedule on the website for that event: /training.aspx

This is because NDG does not 'own' a venue – saving membership money and seeking the best value for money from each venue we hire for each event. Also we try to deliver shows and training at a variety of places and days to help cover the wide area of membership across the North West. We do not aim to make a profit from all events but provide a good service for members and this is transparent in our annual accounts presented at our AGM.

2011/12 dressage test entry fees are £10 per test for members and £12 per test for non-members. Other competitions like Combined Training or Area Qualifiers will differ – each competition has an entry form on the web site or contact that show organiser for information.

Yes, please! We ask all members to help at least once a year and volunteering to help can be like a 'free' training session - writing, stewarding or scoring - as you are sure to benefit from what you see and learn. Please contact Janet Mooney or the event organiser. Area competitions also need helpers from each Club – Janet Zaldats and Abigail Rowland welcome Area helpers. This year the Club has decided to offer helpers a contribution towards travel costs of £10 per half day – funded by the membership fee income.

In each dressage class ' NDG points' are awarded to the top four members (within the top six places) on a 4 for 1st, 3 for 2nd , 2 for 3rd, 1 for 4th basis. These go on the web site and at the end of the year each class P- M has a Points winner who gets an annual trophy at the end of Season Championship show in February. These points roll on year on year as a record of your horse's success at NDG and also to encourage riders to 'move up' a level – with Prelim classes having a limit of 15 NDG points as well as zero British Dressage points.

Yes to BD usual limits - but not in Prelim (unless HC) ie: Prelim 0 points, Novice up to 124 BD, Elementary up to 199 BD and Medium up to 299 BD points. This is in line with BRC rules for area qualifiers and finals.

We encourage riders to try Freestyle as we also enter members for the spring Freestyle area qualifiers for the BRC national finals. Getting started - is not an easy question but most of our trainers and committee members have experience in Freestyle so please ask us! The rules are the same as BD novice freestyle – riders need to be music members of British Dressage (at just £25 a year) and music registered for PPL purposes.

These are non-competitive entries - Training tests may be available if entry numbers do not warrant a class – at all levels – the show organiser will contact you to explain.

Rules are there to help you – and for your safety – please ask any committee member if you are unsure or visit BD/BRC web sites. The most important one is about hard hats with chinstraps to current standards – and we expect all riders to comply at all training and competitions.

All shows, including the annual Trophy show are open to non-members also – but only the highest placed member will win the trophy in each class. It is club policy only to awards its trophies to members – so please join the club! Only Members can qualify for our prestigious Championship show in February … see below.

The top two (to date unqualified) members in each dressage class at our shows will qualify for the annual championship show in February each year - provided 60% plus is scored. You will be sent a qualifying letter and near the date of the Championships a letter and invitation to compete – provided you are still a current member of the club of course! At the Championships there are trophies, sashes and prizes to be won, with mounted presentations and all (unplaced) riders receive a championship qualifier rosette also. If your horse upgrades in BD or NDG points you will still be eligible as points at the date of qualification counts. The Committee may issue qualification wildcards if required. Everyone will be notified in writing with a special Championship entry form.

If you were placed first or second in the previous years' Prelim or Novice Championship class that horse cannot compete at that level or below at the following year's championships. This is to encourage you to move up the early levels.

All show results are on our web site but the Championship show organiser would be happy to help also. You will get a letter confirming your qualification and details of how to enter.

Each class up to Medium has a Points Champion and also a Championship show trophy – presented at our Spring Championships - plus we have a summer Trophy show and a combined training trophy. Members must sign for these and return them when requested.

We also give some special awards at our AGM in November including Overall Points winner, Most Versatile Horse and Most Improved Rider. Some of the Area Qualifiers also have annual trophies and these are also presented at our AGM.

Training fees are aimed at covering costs so the cost to members varies according to type of training, number in group, venue etc. See the training section of the web site for approx costs and our fixture list for contact details. Organisers can advise about availability of places. Please note we have a strict withdrawal policy – once booked the fee must be paid unless a replacement member can be found - to cover costs.

Please contact each organiser (listed on training fixture list or web site) and they will explain the size of groups, who the trainer is, what your preferences are on time and what level/special requirements you have. We try to make sure everyone gets the best out of training so please give the organiser your feedback.

Shows yes – but not training – though they are welcome to attend 'on foot' with the organiser and trainer's agreement to see what we provide.  The NDG's standard training sessions and annual camp are restricted to members only. The NDG does on occasion run "special" training sessions or clinincs with traininers such as Stephen Clarke and Pammy Hutton; these training sessions are usually open to non-members to attend and this will be confirmed via the training schedule.

The Club is 'affiliated' to the British Riding Clubs movement (part of BHS) and we are in Area 3 – also called the Northern Liaison Group . That group represents us at National level and also runs the NW area qualifier shows in Show Jumping , horse trials and three dressage shows – in Summer, Winter and the spring Freestyle qualifiers. There are numerous other classes too. NDG has an excellent record at the Area and Nationals and the club supports riders who volunteer/are selected to ride for the club and pay the entry fee/stabling at the Nationals.

More details appear on the web site about two months before an area show or to register your interest contact Abigail or Janet as the rules and entry procedures are lengthy and we are here to co-ordinate and help.

That could mean you will represent the Club at a BRC national finals at Lincoln, Hartpury, Aintree or even Royal Windsor Show ! The Club supports you and pays that entry fee and some stabling costs.

All riders know the rules about horse passports – but BRC also has rules about correct and up to date vaccinations at their qualifiers and shows. Not only must the annual vax be correct, but the start or re-start dates must also be right. We ask all members to responsibly check their vax and note that you will be asked to produce your vax cert/passport at all BRC area comps and finals. See here for more details www.bhs.org.uk/Riding/British_Riding_Clubs/BRC_Rulebook